Well done Emery - Arsenal have taken a step in the right direction by loaning out 18-year-old future star

Why Arsenal are clever to loan out Reiss Nelson to Hoffenheim for the season

According to BBC, Arsenal’s Reiss Nelson has joined Hoffenheim on a season-long loan deal after the Gunners offered him a new contract this summer. The 18-year-old England U-19 international has played 16 times for Arsenal, and agreed on a new long-term contract before leaving for Germany.

For Nelson, it will be great for him to get some quality exposure in the Bundesliga, before fighting for a first-team spot at Arsenal. He is a highly talented forward who can make a difference in Germany, which will concurrently increase his prominence on the European stage.

Here’s why Arsenal were clever to let the player go out on loan:

Nelson has been at Arsenal since the age of 8, impressing for various age-groups to catch the eye of Emery’s predecessor, Arsene Wenger. The Gunners have their club ethos of developing young players and giving them the opportunities to shine in the first-team. So, Wenger gave Nelson some time last season, and fair to say, the forward impressed many.

Nelson is most suited to play as a winger, on the inside channel to recieve the ball in the half-space and directly run at the full-backs. He possesses the required skills to go past defenders and create chances for the striker. The 18-year-old can also play as a No.10 and exploit the pocket of space in between the lines with a high level of game awareness.

The good thing about this teenager is his ability to know his game and stick to it. He may do the odd flicks and tricks because he is young and keen to impress the manager. But overall, he is a very reliable player on the ball, who can make things happen.

Verdict

The pace of the Bundesliga in terms of football playing is pretty similar to what it is in the Premier League. Teams tend to play on quick transition where forwards press high to win the ball back as quickly as they can. Arsenal under Emery will slowly become that team in near future.

So for Nelson, it would be a good year out at Hoffenheim where he can further learn the transition game at pace before coming back and fighting for a first-team spot at Arsenal.